Button-hook.



Patented Nov. l2, 190l.

C. A. OCONNOB. BUTTON HOOK.

(Application fliedd'uly 2, 1901.

(No Model.)

THE nunms PETERS c0v PNOTO-LITHKL, wAsmNoTbm a. c

TATES CHARLES A. OCONNOR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BUTTON-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,325, dated November 12, 1901.

Application filed July 2, 1901. Serial No. 66,814. (No model.) i

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at No. 155 West N inety-second street, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Button- Hooks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hooks for buttoning shoes; and the objects of my improvement are to button shoes by having a hook attached to the handle working on a hinge or pivot and by means of a spring bringing the button directly up to and through the buttonhole and after the operation of buttoning is completed the spring releases the hook automatically from the button.

The invention consists of various parts and details and combinations of the same, as are fully set forth hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved button-hook. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the dotted line w or of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view of the invention in operation.

Numeral 1 is the handle,which may be made of any length, of wood or other suitable material; 2, the head of the handle; 3, the top plate; 3, the lower plate; 4, the pockets punched in the plate; 5, the wire book; 6, the plate to secure top of the spring; 7, the screws 5 8, the tube or thimble; 9, the coiled spring, of steel wire or other suitable material; 10, the rivet; 11, the stop-screw.

In the head of the handle 2 is a hole large enough to hold the tube or thimble 8, around which is wound the spring 9. The plate 6 is secured to one side of the handle and one end of the spring secured to this plate. Plates 3 and 3 are secured by the rivet 10 and have their edges turned over to secure in place the wire hook 5. The other end of the spring is secured to the plate 3. By a downward pressure upon the handle the spring is compressed, by means of which the mechanism gets its power to bring the button throughthe buttonhole, and when the power or pressure is removed the spring acts automatically to release the hook from the button and buttonhole. There is a small peg or stop-screw 11 inserted in the head of the handle,which when the spring releases the hook from the button keeps the hook in the necessary position upon the handle. The tube or thimble 8 is made of tin or other suitable material and is held in place by the screws or rivets 7, thereby securing the mechanism to the handle. The manner in which the hook and spring are secured to the handle permits any degree of strength to be used in buttoning the shoe, and all parts retain the position required of them to obtain this object.

The button-hook is used in the following manner: The loop-hook is passed through the buttonhole from the upper side,with the stopscrew or peg 11 facing the rear and over the button, so that the button-shank rests in the lower end of the loop-hook. The handle is then slightly inclined, so as to form an angle with the loop-hook. A downward pressure is then exerted upon the handle in the direction of its longest axis, which brings the button through the buttonhole. If the pressure be then Withdrawn, the button-hook resumes its original position, as shown in Fig. 1, and the button is automatically released. It is only necessary to reverse the hook to allow a working angle for either right orleft shoe or boot.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a button-hook, the combination of a loop-hook; a handle to one end of which the loop-hook is attached; a tube or thimble placed transversely within that part or end of the said handle to which the loop-hook is attached, and a spring Wound around said tube or thin1- ble, substantially as described.

2. In a button-hook the combination with the handle 1, in the head of which is the crosstube or thimble 8, around which is wound the spring 9, the screws 7 holding in place the plate 3, and the lower plate 3, to which is attached the loop-hook 5, held in position by the stop-screw or peg 11, substantially as herein shown and described.

CHARLES A. OOONNOR.

Witnesses:

HENRY THOMPSON, PHILIP B. SHERIDAN. 

